Finding Grace and Growth in Suffering

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Grace Is Sufficient in Our Weakness

When we face persistent struggles or suffering, it is natural to pray for relief and to wonder why God does not always remove our pain. Yet, as Paul experienced, God sometimes allows us to endure hardship so that we might learn to depend on His grace rather than our own strength. In our weakness, God’s power is made perfect, and His presence sustains us even when our circumstances do not change. Rather than boasting in our successes, we are invited to boast in our weaknesses, for it is there that Christ’s power rests on us. [51:40]

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV)
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Reflection: What is one area of weakness or struggle in your life where you need to stop striving for your own solution and instead ask God to show you how His grace is sufficient for you today?

Day 2: God Redeems Our Suffering for His Purpose

Throughout Scripture, we see that God does not waste our pain; He uses even the most difficult circumstances to shape us, refine us, and accomplish His greater purposes. Like Joseph, David, Job, and Paul, we may not understand why we suffer, but we can trust that God is sovereign and able to bring beauty from ashes. Our suffering is not meaningless; it is part of a process that can develop Christlike character in us and display God’s glory to others. [22:22]

Romans 8:28 (ESV)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Reflection: Think of a recent hardship or disappointment—how might God be inviting you to trust Him to bring good out of this situation, even if you cannot see it yet?

Day 3: Every Good Gift Is from God’s Grace, Not Our Entitlement

It is easy to take blessings for granted or to feel entitled to good things, but Scripture reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from God. We are not inherently good or deserving; rather, anything good in our lives is a result of God’s grace and mercy. Recognizing this humbles us and leads us to gratitude, even as we acknowledge the reality of suffering in a broken world. [10:38]

James 1:17 (ESV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Reflection: What is one specific blessing in your life that you have taken for granted? How can you express gratitude to God for it today?

Day 4: Suffering Is a Universal Reality, but We Are Not Alone

Both the righteous and the unrighteous experience suffering in this world because of its brokenness. Even faithful followers of Jesus, like Paul and Job, endured pain, loss, and unanswered questions. Yet, God promises His presence and grace in the midst of our trials, and He calls us to walk through suffering together as a church family, supporting and praying for one another. [25:32]

Job 1:20-21 (ESV)
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Reflection: Who in your life is suffering right now, and how can you come alongside them in prayer or support so they know they are not alone?

Day 5: Our Hope Is Anchored in What Is Yet to Come

This world is not our final home, and the suffering we endure now is not the end of the story. God has promised a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more pain or sorrow. Like Paul, we can endure present hardships with hope, knowing that what is ahead far outweighs our current troubles. Our faith is anchored not in the absence of suffering, but in the assurance of God’s ultimate redemption and the eternal joy that awaits us in Christ. [32:28]

Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Reflection: When you are tempted to despair over your current circumstances, how can you remind yourself of the hope and future God has promised to those who are in Christ?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to face one of the most challenging realities of our faith: the presence of suffering and the question of why God allows pain, even for those who love Him. We began by celebrating the good news of God’s work through our church family—both locally and globally—reminding ourselves that every good thing is a gift from God’s grace. Yet, as we continued in our “Forged” series, we turned to the hard truth that life is not always as we plan, and sometimes God’s path for us includes pain, disappointment, and unanswered prayers.

Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12, we looked at the life of Paul, a man who experienced both extraordinary blessings and deep suffering. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” is a powerful reminder that even the most faithful followers of Jesus are not exempt from hardship. Paul pleaded with God to remove his suffering, but God’s answer was not what he expected. Instead of removal, God offered His sustaining grace: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This is a truth that runs throughout Scripture—God does not always change our circumstances, but He changes us in the midst of them.

We explored the analogy of photography, where negatives are necessary to produce positives. In the same way, the negatives in our lives—the pain, the disappointments, the thorns—are part of the process God uses to develop us into the image of Christ. We are not promised a life free from suffering, but we are promised God’s presence and His grace to sustain us. The story of Job, the suffering of the apostles, and ultimately the suffering of Jesus Himself all point to a God who redeems pain and uses it for His glory and our good.

The challenge for us is not to avoid suffering, but to lean into it, trusting that God is forging something beautiful even in the darkroom of our pain. We can choose to become bitter, battered, or better. The invitation is to allow God’s grace to meet us in our weakness, to let our suffering become a platform for His power, and to remember that this is not the end—heaven is ahead, and God’s redemption is sure.

Key Takeaways

1. Suffering is not a sign of God’s absence or displeasure, but often a tool He uses to refine and humble us. Even Paul, who experienced visions of heaven and deep intimacy with Christ, was given a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him dependent on God’s grace. Our weaknesses are not obstacles to God’s work, but opportunities for His power to be displayed. [12:40]
2. The negatives in our lives are not wasted; God uses them as part of a process to develop us into the people He intends us to be. Just as a photograph requires a darkroom to turn negatives into positives, our seasons of darkness can produce spiritual depth and beauty if we allow God to work in us through them. [21:11]
3. God’s grace is not merely a concept, but a sustaining presence that meets us in our pain. When God does not remove our suffering, He promises to be with us, to give us the strength to endure, and to transform us through the very things we wish were different. His grace is sufficient, even when our circumstances are not. [32:28]
4. The choice in suffering is ours: we can become bitter, battered, or better. Bitterness and victimhood are natural responses, but God invites us to a deeper trust—a surrender that allows Him to use our pain for His glory and our growth. The saints we remember are those who suffered well, not because they were spared pain, but because they trusted God in the midst of it. [54:10]
5. Our hope is anchored not in the removal of suffering, but in the promise of redemption. This world is not heaven, and we will face thorns and trials, but God is at work to bring about a new creation. In the meantime, we are called to walk together, to pray for one another, and to trust that God’s story is bigger than our present pain. [64:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Celebrating God’s Work Through Our Church
[03:30] - The Apollo 13 “Successful Failure” and God’s Unexpected Plans
[05:45] - Prayer for God’s Comfort and Guidance
[08:01] - Rethinking “Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?”
[10:38] - The Reality of Sin and God’s Grace
[12:40] - Paul’s Suffering and the “Thorn in the Flesh”
[15:40] - Wrestling with God’s Refining Process
[18:27] - The Analogy of Negatives and Positives in Life
[21:11] - The Darkroom: How God Develops Us Through Pain
[25:32] - Suffering in the Story of Scripture
[27:39] - Paul’s Visions, Blessings, and Humility
[32:28] - God’s Grace in Weakness
[54:10] - Choices in Suffering: Bitter, Battered, or Better
[64:11] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In 2 Corinthians 12, what does Paul say about his experiences with both blessings (visions, revelations) and suffering (the “thorn in the flesh”)? What was his response when God did not remove his suffering?
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the “thorn in the flesh” not being specifically identified?
In Job 1:20-21, how does Job respond to his suffering and loss? What choice does he make in the midst of pain?
What analogy did the pastor use to describe how God uses the “negatives” in our lives, and what does this analogy teach us about the process of spiritual growth?

Interpretation Questions

Why might God choose not to remove suffering from the lives of even his most faithful followers, like Paul or Job? What does this reveal about God’s character and his purposes?
The sermon mentioned that suffering can either make us “bitter, battered, or better.” What does it mean to “lean into” suffering rather than avoid it, and how does this relate to God’s grace?
How does the analogy of the darkroom and photographic negatives help us understand the role of pain and disappointment in our spiritual development?
According to Romans 8:28, does God promise that all things will be good, or that all things will work together for good? How does this distinction affect our understanding of suffering?

Application Questions

Paul prayed repeatedly for God to remove his “thorn,” but God answered, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Is there a situation in your life where you have prayed for relief but God’s answer has been different than you hoped? How have you responded, and what might it look like to trust God’s grace in that area?
The pastor said we can choose to become “bitter, battered, or better” in response to suffering. Which of these responses do you most naturally lean toward, and what would it look like to allow God to use your pain for growth instead of bitterness?
The analogy of the darkroom suggests that God develops us through seasons of darkness. Can you identify a “darkroom” season in your life? Looking back, how did God use that time to shape you, or how might he be shaping you now?
The sermon emphasized that suffering is not a sign of God’s absence or displeasure. Have you ever felt abandoned by God in a hard season? What truths from Paul’s or Job’s story could help you reframe that experience?
The pastor mentioned that our weaknesses are opportunities for God’s power to be displayed. Is there a weakness or struggle in your life that you are willing to let God use as a platform for his power? What would it look like to surrender that area to him?
The sermon closed with the reminder that “this is not the end—heaven is ahead, and God’s redemption is sure.” How does keeping an eternal perspective help you endure present suffering? Are there practical ways you can remind yourself of this hope during difficult times?
The pastor encouraged the church to walk together and pray for one another in suffering. Is there someone in your life who is suffering right now? How can you come alongside them this week in a tangible way?

Sermon Clips

So while we suffer, the question that I think we ask ourselves as followers of Jesus is, how well do I suffer in difficulty? How do I handle it when things don't turn out the way that I plan? Do I just walk away or do I lean into the process? Well, a lot of people walk away, but I want you to know that throughout church history, the ones we're still talking about today are the ones who leaned into the suffering and God turned something. God didn't always rescue them out of their circumstance, but God used their circumstance. [00:25:44] (37 seconds)

Paul began to change in the circumstances he began to be forged he began to look at things differently Paul stopped asking how can I get out of this and he started asking what can I get out of this it's normal to ask how can I get out of this so if you're if you're asking that but somewhere there is a growth process Paul's moving from survival mode which is normal to surrender mode survival to surrender and God doesn't I want to say this take pleasure in our pain that God loves us so much that while we're here in this earth and we are infected with sin and we are affected with sin his main purpose right now is to refine us and to bring glory through our weaknesses he is made strong and he is glorified when you have a thorn do you know what it makes you and if you have it you know dependent upon the Lord. [00:56:33] (59 seconds)

So what God desires to do in us in the meantime if you are a follower of Jesus you're going to suffer if you are not a follower of Jesus you're going to suffer what God desires to do is He desires to showcase His glory to showcase His glory and His grace as we suffer and this is our opportunity do you know what I've discovered I've discovered that one of the things that is most attractive about our faith is when we see someone who goes through a really really hard time and they still choose to praise the Lord isn't it easy to praise God when all the good things are going on but what will you do whenever you go through the hardship will you still praise Him like Job did you know the people that we're still talking about today in God's Word are the ones who they suffered but they suffered well and we are here today because of that. [01:03:29] (65 seconds)

You probably walked in here with a thorn and I don't want to minimize your thorn it's a real thing it hurts the heart of God that you're going through this right now it hurts my heart as a pastor to know that that's true for some of you this is what I want to tell you Jesus said that you will not be alone He will give you the grace that you need as you go through what you're going through this isn't the end this isn't heaven if you're in Christ heaven is out ahead of you this is another important thing you were not meant to go through what you're going through by yourself and some of you need a church family. [01:04:33] (41 seconds)

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